Sheffield team gets £3m to study treatment of pain in diabetes patients

The study will compare the effectiveness of the three main drugs used to treat patients who suffer from painful diabetic neuropathy, and is funded by the National Institute for Health Research.

The study, in collaboration with the University of Sheffield clinical trials research unit, aims to establish which drug or combination of drugs is best for patients with the condition. At the moment there is considerable uncertainty regarding the best treatment pathway for sufferers, and the trial will help to determine the best treatment option for patients and could potentially save millions of pounds on drug costs.

The grant is one of the biggest ever given to a Sheffield Teaching Hospitals research team.

The study will last for three-and-a-half years and will include around 400 patients at eight UK centres, led by Sheffield.

Professor Solomon Tesfaye, a consultant physician/endocrinologist at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital, and Honorary Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the University of Sheffield, is leading the research.

He said: “Sheffield is a world leader in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy, and the size of the grant reflects the importance of this study. We need to know both what is the best treatment for patients and the most cost effective.

“This research will help us to find out which patients and what kind of pain responds best to which drugs. Apart from improved pain management resulting in better quality of life for patients, it might also save the NHS a considerable amount of money in drug costs.

“This trial has a potential benefit to sufferers, carers, health care professionals and the NHS.”